February 24, 2024 marks two years since the beginning of the full-scale military invasion of Ukraine by the Russian Federation, which has turned into the largest war in Europe since the Second World War.
This war has brought thousands of deaths and murders, rape, terror, nuclear blackmail, and other horrific crimes to Ukraine that are beyond the imagination of any human being. This war has destroyed the lives of millions of Ukrainians and brought destruction to Ukrainian cities and villages, civilian energy and transport infrastructure, residential and maternity homes, kindergartens and schools, stadiums and hospitals, theatres and museums, trade union buildings, and industrial facilities.
But despite all the horrors of war, Ukraine has withstood and continues to hold back the invasion. Millions of Ukrainians continue to fight for peace and freedom. Among them are thousands of members of the Agro-Industrial Workers’ Union of Ukraine. Our members also continue to work behind the lines. They are rebuilding destroyed towns and villages, growing bread, and providing food for millions of people both in Ukraine and around the world.
Today, on the second anniversary of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, we realize how much harder it would be without the support of our sisters and brothers in IUF sectors around the world. We are sincerely grateful to the IUF leaders and ordinary trade unionists who have been supporting trade unionists in Ukraine for two years. We are grateful for the clear position of the IUF, which condemned the Putin regime and the unleashing of a full-scale war in the center of Europe, expelled the Russian agro-industrial union from the IUF, thus confirming the democratic values of the organization. We are grateful for the IUF’s clear position calling on TNCs to cease operations in Russia and not to be sponsors of terrorism. We are grateful for the very timely and necessary financial support, for the hundreds of tons of humanitarian aid that have been purchased and delivered to Ukraine for our union members. We thank our brothers and sisters who have provided sanctuary for our members in all parts of the world.
The second anniversary is an opportunity for everyone who believes in freedom and rejects violence to reaffirm their commitment to support Ukraine’s brave defenders and to remind them that the war is not over. Ukraine needs help.
To accelerate peace, we call on our colleagues around the world to continue their comprehensive and critically needed support for Ukraine.
Only by defeating the aggressor can we ensure a just and lasting peace in Ukraine and Europe and prevent such aggression from happening again in the future.
